HC Deb 23 August 1889 vol 340 cc254-5
MR. JAMES STUART (Shoreditch, Hoxton)

I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether Mr. A. Wilde, an employé in the Savings Bank Department of the Post Office, has been obliged by the Post Office Authorities to resign the post of honorary secretary of the West Essex Liberal Association; whether, in reply to the representations of Mr. Morris, Chairman of that Association, Mr. Langton, on behalf of the Postmaster General, wrote, on 29th July last, that— The Department has no knowledge of other Post Office servants being actively engaged as members of political organisations, and that every such case that has come under the observation of the Postmaster General Has been treated in strict accordance with the rule which is now being applied in the case fo Mr. Wilde"; whether, in accordance with the rule thus laid down, he has taken any steps in the case of Mr. W. Smith, another employé in the Savings Bank Department, who, at a meeting at Wanstead on the 7th August, is reported to have been presented by the hon. Member for the Romford Division of Essex with a gold medal, in recognition of his services as one of the principal Conservative organisers in that district; whether, if he has not yet taken any action, he will make inquiries into this case, and others of a similar kind which may be brought before him, in which Post Office officials are active members of Conservative Associations; and, whether he will take into consideration the propriety of removing restrictions placed on Post Office officials taking active part in political organisations?

SIR H. MAXWELL

The reply to the first two paragraghs of the hon. Member's question is in the affirmative. As regards Mr. W. Smith, I have to inform the hon. Member that the statement made in his question is the first intimation which has reached the Postmaster General with regard to the incident mentioned, and that he will make inquiries on the subject. There is no intention of altering the Rule relating to these matters.